


At the End of the World

by ReginaExMachina



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/M, Outlawqueen - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-09
Updated: 2018-07-09
Packaged: 2019-06-07 20:22:42
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,375
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15227160
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ReginaExMachina/pseuds/ReginaExMachina
Summary: Day 1 of Outlaw Queen Happy Ending Week - Bandit OQ Happy EndingorWhat happens with Bandit OQ after the Storybrooke people disappear to their realm?





	At the End of the World

**Author's Note:**

> What happens with Bandit OQ after the Storybrooke people disappear to their realm?

              “At least I can promise you… you won’t die alone…” The words left Robin’s lips, and to Regina, they felt like soothing caresses. Too long she had spent roaming the forests, scrounging for any shred of peace she could find, to make it through one more day.

The thought, the sentiment, the… tenderness behind those words caused a pang of pain in her chest, one that passed her eyes, but only briefly, and instead of the tears -because she was tired of the tears- she produced a soft smile for him. Robin Hood.

Instead of focusing on the past, on all of those years of running, on all of those times she dared to wander a carven dirt path and was forced to look behind her back to see if death was behind her, she focused on those beautiful blue eyes.

There was something that Regina recognized within them, something so foreign and yet so intimately close, something that was barely perceptible, something that was more tangible now that she had nothing to fear.

Because death _had_ come for her at last, and not at the hands of the Queen, it had come for her but it didn’t matter because she had faced it at last, in her own terms, for a worthy cause, for a boy who easily called _her,_ the most undeserving person in the realms, _mom_.

And yet beneath the soft gaze of Robin Hood, nothing seemed to matter, not pain, not the cold grip of death tearing her soul out of her body, only that familiarity, that recognition.

There was chaos, choked sobs, gasps, and silence around her, but she just wanted these last moments.

“Robin…” Regina reached up to touch his cheek, shaky, cold fingers cupping it, and then the tears did come.

“No, Regina…” The man’s voice was soft, his forehead pressed against hers as he cradled her body on his lap, his arms around her tight, warm, keeping death away for one more moment. “No tears…”

Robin’s thumb brushed them away, the tip of his nose pressed gently against hers.

“I-I-...” Regina sniffled, took a shaky breath. “I’m sorry.”

“W-What for?” The man said in a disbelieving breath.

“For what could have been…” Regina bit her lip, opening her eyes again. “Let me look at you…” She winced as she shifted her body, raised her head, cupped his face again, this time with both hands.

When she was able to focus hazy eyes on his face again, with all the effort she could muster, she saw that his eyes were reddened, tears threatening to spill and the look she gave him was tortured agony.

“Regina…” he whispered, cupped her face, slid his fingers into her hair, sorrowful eyes focused on her suddenly lost ones.

“Kiss me, Robin…” Regina begged with the last shaking breath. “Kiss me before I die…”

Robin didn’t hesitate, he moistened his lips and pressed them to Regina’s cold ones, a breath escaping through his nose.

Regina felt it, warm and gentle above her upper lip, and she breathed it in, took that breath inside her in an inhale and it almost felt like a candle flicker, warming her up. It was as if something that had begun to extinguish inside her was suddenly on fire, had suddenly started up again, full of life, filling _her_ with life.

When they broke apart, Regina released a faint sob, her arms sneaking around his neck as she cried. Robin turned his head, and Regina watched him scan her body with his eyes.

“I don’t understand,” Robin breathed out, gentle fingers unfastening Regina’s vest and raising the fabric covering her skin, sliding against the taut skin of Regina’s stomach. “You were covered in blood…”

Robin raised his eyes to where that desperately crying boy had been, and Regina followed their path.

They were alone, the wedding guests had all scattered, and the blonde woman and the boy were nowhere to be found either.

Their eyes blinked to each other’s in confusion and Regina looked down at herself. There was no blood, the pain, she also realized, was gone, and she placed a hand above Robin’s, gently sliding it lower so she could confirm that the wound was gone.

“What…” There was nothing but perfect skin, untouched by that sword. “What’s happening?”

“I don’t know,” Robin cradled her again, and the crushing hug left Regina breathless, as her arms tightened around his head, fingers clasping his hair. “But… you’re okay, Regina.”

“I _can’t_ be okay, Robin Hood. Maybe I died…” Regina frowned, starting to sit up, but his arms made it impossible. “And… and now… I’m here to wander for all eternity… and… of course it’s in front of this church, with you.” The eye roll from the woman made Robin chuckle, and Regina bit a corner of her lip. “But… then why are you here?”

A pause, and Regina’s eyes seemed alight with sudden realization.

“Oh, I get it, you’re part of my punishment,” Regina sighed, pushing herself away from him and got up. “Of course you are.”

“Regina, I don’t think we’re dead,” Robin seemed amused. “And I’m most certainly not your punishment.”

“Of course _you’re_ not dead,” Regina glanced at him as she began to walk, as if testing her body, towards a misty path flanked by large trees. “ _I_ am, I died heroically to save a child.”

“Yes, that was… admirable. Regina,” Robin stopped her with a hand at her elbow. “Why didn’t you do it?”

“Didn’t do what?” Regina frowned, kept walking and Robin caught up to her after a few steps.

“Stop the wedding,” Robin asked, stopping her again with a hand on his arm.

“What?” Regina snorted, shaking her head and looked away, towards a large clearing of space, where a lake sat full of ducklings. “Why would I stop your wedding?”

“You tell me.” Robin said, crossing his arms again. Regina knew she was infuriating the thief. “You were the one looking at me with those doe eyes.”

“Doe eyes?” Regina huffed, eyes wide, indignation clear in them. “I was not doe eyeing you.”

“ _Kiss me…_ ” Robin smirked, a warm gaze in his eyes, “ _Kiss me before I die…_ I mean, your dying wish was to kiss me.”

Regina groaned, rubbing her forehead and started the walk again.

“Regina, stop walking away from the conversation,” Robin chuckled, this time grasping for her hand, fully expecting Regina to withdraw, but this time she didn’t, and she tugged him along, until they were both standing under the shade of a large apple tree.

“When I… when I thought I was going to die, I felt… I felt something,” She said, narrowing an eye, trying to recapture that feeling just long enough to explain.

“You felt what?” Robin asked, tightening his hand on hers, intertwining their fingers, his free hand cupping Regina’s face gently, stroking her cheekbone.

“I felt…” Regina moistened her lips in thought, and her gaze finally met his. “It was as if everything bad that has ever happened to me was erased, as if…”

“As if you had walked for years through a bitter winter to finally reach home?”

A tear escaped Regina’s eyes and she nodded softly. “Home… with a warm fireplace… and I was ready to…”

“Ready to what?”

“Ready to finally be happy,” Regina looked down, but he tugged her chin back up. “Even…” She took a deep breath. “Even if it was just for those last few precious moments.”

“I felt it too, Regina.”

“Robin. I…” She moistened her lips. “You… you’re married, and we need to figure out what the hell happened back there.” She wanted to look back towards the empty path, but she couldn’t tear her eyes away from his.

“I didn’t marry Zelena. After seeing you there… at the door, how could I?” Robin’s voice was soft, there was that tenderness again that warmed Regina’s heart. “And I know what happened back there.”

“So tell me,” Regina finally dared to press her head forward, her forehead resting gently on his.

“We fell in love…”

“That’s impossible,” Regina chuckled softly.

“Why? Why is that impossible, Regina?”

“Do you remember when you asked if I had ever met someone I would change my entire world for? Someone who’s eyes I just knew I was born to gaze into?”

“Yes, I remember,” Robin nodded.

“Well, I have,” Regina gave him a faint smile, and Robin’s own hopeful eyes fell, and this time, it was Regina’s fingers tugging his chin up, so her eyes could level with his. “It’s you.”

Robin’s smile returned in a flicker.

“It’s me what?” He teased with a soft chuckle, and received a punch at his chest.

“You _know_ what.” Regina sighed with some exasperation, and pushed at his arm, but after a moment, retook his hand in her own. “And that still doesn’t explain what happened.”

“Why true love’s kiss, of course,” Robin chirped, and Regina pulled him off the tree.

“That’s a myth, Robin,” Regina laughed as she began to swing their joined hands. “I can’t believe you believe all that stuff.”

“It’s true, it saved you from your injury, and now we’re literally walking together into the sunset,” He exclaimed, and Regina laughed again, shaking her head.

“You’re thick.”

“Only where it counts, m’lady,” Robin smirked.

An huff full of indignation left Regina’s lips, and then she bubbled with laughter, lowered her forehead to hide the bright blush at her cheeks. “You’re filthy.”

“Come on, give me another true love’s kiss,” Robin tugged her by the hand, an arm around her waist, the other at her hair, and Regina bit her lip, looking up.

“There’s no such thing as a true love’- _mmh…_ ” A soft breath escaped her nose when she felt his lips on hers, soft and inviting, and she couldn’t help it, couldn’t help her arms sliding around his neck, pressing closer, and her body somehow just seemed to fit with his perfectly.

After a moment, they broke apart, and Robin huffed out a breath.

“How can you say true love’s kiss doesn’t exist after that,” The man scolded, shaking his head, and Regina chuckled. “Just admit it, Regina, I’m your true love.”

“You’re just-” Her words halted when he fell on one knee and took her hand in his.

“Marry me.”

“What-?” Regina snorted, looking up at the shade of the tree.

“Marry me.”

“No,” Regina looked away, an arm crossed over her chest.

“You’re infuriating and thick-headed,” Robin rolled his eyes and got off his knee, crossing his arms.

“And you were just in a church about to profess your undying love to another woman.” Regina narrowed an eye.

“Yes, but…” He raised a finger, chuckling, and displaying those infuriating dimples that Regina wanted to kiss. “Then I kissed my true love.”

“Robin!” Regina shook her head. “I am _not_ your true love.”

“You are,” Robin said, “I’ll prove it to you.”

“How?” Regina narrowed her eyes.

“I’ll find a way, now come on, we have things to do,” Robin took her hand.

“Things like what?” Regina frowned.

“Well,” Robin smirked, “We have places to see, things to steal, Queens' knights to avoid.”

“Oh…” Regina tilted her head, her lips growing into a smirk. “Now _that,_  that I can do.”

“Ready for a new adventure?” Robin mirrored her smirk.

“Ready,” Regina grinned.

They heard the clear noise of a carriage approaching, followed by the sight of black horses galloping at full speed, mounted by Queen Snow’s knights, and their eyes glimmered as they looked at each other.

“We’re going to need need some horses,” Regina smirked, stepping closer to the path, and when the carriage approached at full speed, Robin placed a hand at the small of her back. “What do you think, Robin Hood? You up for this?”

“I thought we were avoiding knights," He sighed, glancing at her, "Just… try not to get killed again, Regina,” Robin stepped out of her way.

“Why not?” Regina teased, “If my true love can kiss it better?”

Robin’s eyebrows raised in surprise, but only for a moment, because Regina had sprung out of her hiding spot and directly in front of the fast approaching carriage.

“Damn it, Regina!” He chuckled, running after her. “We didn’t come up with a plan!”

“Yes we did! Take those horses!” Regina laughed. “I thought you said you were ready!”

“God, you are...” Robin growled, then frowned. “Oh, damn it. Regina...”

“What is it?” Regina looked at him, the horses almost upon them.

“I don’t have my bow and arrows,” Robin said, alarmed.

“Just give them a true love’s kiss, I’m sure that’ll fix everything,” Regina rolled her eyes. “You scared of a fist fight?”

“No, I’m not,” Robin said, glancing at her. Regina could hold her own.

It was only a few minutes later when they were both galloping on their horses, their lot tucked away as they got as far away as possible.

Regina turned to look at him, a sided smile on her lips when his gaze met her own after a moment.

“I believe you.”

“Believe what, m’lady?”

“That we’re soulmates.” Regina said.

“Oh now, I didn’t say that, I said we were true love.”

“God!” Regina glared at him, kicking at her horse to gallop faster, the man laughing behind her as he galloped faster to catch up to her. “You’re infuriating! Just annoying! The most annoying person I’ve ever met!”

“What does that say about you if we’re soulmates!” Robin chuckled, and Regina finally laughed.

“I kind of hate you.” Regina glanced at him after they had slowed their pace again.

“We’ll just have to work on that.”

“Where are we going?” Regina inquired, chuckling.

“To the end of the world with you,” Robin said as he reached for her hand, the one holding the rein.

“Do they have ale? Food?” Regina raised an eyebrow.

“And a tavern with a nice, warm fireplace.” Robin said.

“Okay, _soulmate_.” Regina chuckled, tightened her hand on his. “Take me to this tavern at the end of the world.”

“As you wish, m’lady,” Robin said, a smile playing at his lips, one that Regina wanted to kiss. She would. She would kiss him to exhaustion once they reached safety.


End file.
